By the healthiergang writer , personal trainer with a degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences.
Is Running Bad For Your Back?
La race (or running, if you are a purist) has been for some years now one of the most practiced disciplines in the world, it is practiced by anyone, regardless of sex, age, profession or social position; just go to any city park at any time to see crowds of runners training on rhythm, distance, technique or even just to shake off the after-effects of a heavy day.
Running is, in this moment, the sport with the highest number of practitioners in the world, which moreover grow year after year, following a trend that does not seem to want to stop.
The race comes recommended for weight loss, to combat stress, to strengthen the muscles by carrying out an activity that is as effective as it is simple and inexpensive; and can be declined in the most varied ways: on the track, on the road, dirt and dirt with obstacles.
There really is something for everyone, but are we sure it's really that effective, risk-free and affordable for everyone?
Anyone familiar with the sport well knows that there are no disciplines without risks, especially if you practice for competitive purposes, but it is also true that there are no sports that are bad, but only sports that are badly done.
In the case of running, the list of annoyances or injuries that can be incurred is quite long and includes several causes: they range from hip, knee, ankle problems, inflammation of the iliotibial band, through groin pain and patella and Achilles tendon problems.
And the causes can be just as many: overweight, undiagnosed or neglected postural problems, unsuitable footwear, abnormal support of the sole of the foot, poor or non-existent technique.
But of all the problems we have seen, the one that forces more runners to abandon running every year is back pain, which can manifest itself as a simple stiffening of the back area, as discomfort and intense and widespread pain in the lumbar area, or as intense pain that radiates from the back to the sciatic nerve.
But what is the relationship between running and back pain?
So is running a harmful activity for the spine?
The answer is rather complex, but we will try to summarize it as much as possible.
1. The technique
Running is not a natural activity for humans, our physiology and anatomy have evolved in different directions, and this is a first thing to say; we run because we want to, and to do it we implement a whole series of motor adjustments that allow us to do so, but there is a technique, and it should be learned.
People often start running to get fit after a period of inactivity, and you choose because you can practice outdoors and it is inexpensive, but here we have to open a very important parenthesis; when you go out for a running session, your body is subjected to intense and repeated stress over time, running in fact on average from 160 to 190 steps per minute, if we multiply this number by the minutes it takes to travel a km, and then further for the km we do at each session, you will have a clear concept.
If ours technical gesture, that is the step, presents some technical problems, we will repeat that problem thousands of times with each workout, with very serious consequences for the joints, but above all for the spine.
2. The gym is important
Hope to become a runner without going to the gym It is another huge mistake, it is in fact well known by now, that all the top runners in the world alternate running training sessions in the weight room to strengthen the core, back and arms, because if it is true that you run with your legs It is equally true that the rhythm and posture comes from the upper body.
So if you love to run but have back pain (or it came after you started running), try joining the gym and dedicate a couple of sessions a week to the equipment room, perhaps concentrating on the work of stability of the core and on the back, you will see that the back pain will pass, and maybe you will also improve your running technique and times.
3. Footwear and foot support
Another element that should not be underestimated when talking about the relationship between back pain and running is the support of the foot and the choice of footwear.
By now all the main sports footwear companies have in their collection different models depending on the weight, the support and the running technique, and the choice of the shoe is fundamental for a runner.
We can be over pronators or hypersupinators, be light but slow, or heavy but fast, whatever our characteristics, there is the right shoe; take the time to find it, try it and compare it with another one, because it will become your companion for the months to come.
And color doesn't matter.
In conclusion
Summarizing the above, running is not harmful to the back per se, but it can make a pre-existing situation worse or create one, if practiced incorrectly or superficially.
So don't be afraid to take your shoes off and go enjoy a good workout outdoors, but maybe also look for a gym nearby to take care of those muscles that are not actively involved in running, but which if neglected can become a problem.
If, on the other hand, you are an agonist with a high weekly mileage, strengthen your core and back to make your posture and rhythm as effective as possible, thus preventing discomfort and improving your times.
